


Richard's Secret

by Littlelady1971



Category: Pointless (UK TV)
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Friendship/Love, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2020-05-04
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:13:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24002644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Littlelady1971/pseuds/Littlelady1971
Summary: Richard was hiding a secret, one that he didn't think he would ever reveal.   Circumstances changed and the truth came out …..what would be the end result ?
Relationships: Alexander Armstrong/Ben Miller/Richard Osman, Alexander Armstrong/Richard Osman
Kudos: 2





	Richard's Secret

**Author's Note:**

> Notes:  
> Any similarity between the fictional versions of the people portrayed here and the actual people is purely coincidental. This is a work of fiction. This is not an attempt to defame the character of said person on the basis of libel, as the work is FICTIONAL (and NOT an intently false statement created with the express purpose of misleading others about the actual character of said person).

RICHARD'S SECRET BY DEBBIE LITTLE

Chapter 1

It had been a quick break-up but this still didn't mean it hadn't hurt. The sharp pain Richard had felt  
in that moment was still there, stabbing away at his heart. How long had it been now? 3 days ? possibly 4? He looked around his studio apartment, once his pride and joy, everything in order  
and tidied away , the minimal look but with a few scatter cushions and throws, just for comfort.  
Not now though, nothing seemed important now, the clutter was mounting on every surface, the  
kitchen sink was full of pots and pans, unread post lay on the coffee table amidst more cups , crisp packets and a tea stained script from one of the recent shows. 

How had he gotten like this? For a man in his late forties (well 50, but not ready to admit that just yet) he prided himself how self sufficient he was living alone in a nice home, steady job, good friends and of-course his girlfriend Sumudu, correction now ex-girlfriend. He cast his mind back  
to when they had first met. It had been purely by chance, he spotted her walking down the road  
coming towards him whilst he was on his way to the book club . She was walking slowly, looking  
at the houses and checking the house numbers whilst glancing at her phone. He too was engrossed  
with something on his phone when they literally bumped in to each other, such a cliché ! After the  
inevitable “sorry” “so, sorry” they got chatting. She was a pretty woman, long dark hair, slender build but only 5ft 2” inches tall, this didn't matter even though he is 6ft 6” he towered over her, but then again he towered over most people. He found out she was a jazz musician and played in venues up and down the county. She didn't recognise Richard, this made a delightful change. They swapped numbers and went their separate ways. He hadn't expected to hear from her again, even though he had felt a connection when they had met. However, a few days later as he was plucking up the courage to ring , his mobile pinged with a text from her, asking how he was? This led to a flurry of texts back and forth between them, resulting in them arranging their first date.

Richard looked up from his chair trying to shake this memory from his mind, for now at least. He  
needed to pull himself together. He was a sensible man, and educated man, not some love-struck teenager who had their heart-broken for the first time. He checked his mobile, a few texts and  
emails unanswered and several missed calls, mostly from Xander. He first met Xander at university  
many years ago, they were friends of friends and studying different courses but their paths often crossed. It was later in life when he started working for Endemol that they met up again, this time thrown together on a new and upcoming show, he himself had pitched the idea to Endomol and in turn to the BBC, they loved it, and Pointless was born ! He had rang work of course, telling them  
he had a bout of the flu and was taking a few days rest. This was partly true anyway, as he sneezed into his hanky. He looked down at the hanky, a simple blue linen square but with a motif in the top right hand corner “A”for Alexander, everyone knew him as Xander. Richard laid back and smiled as he remembered how the hanky had come in to his possession.

He had been working later then normal on set, the sound production team had struggled all day  
being able to get the sound quality right on the show,this resulted in a lot of waiting around, numerous cups of coffee, reading and playing games on his phone (He was now in the top 5%  
on the leader-board at Scrabble !) The crew wanted to try one last take before they wrapped up  
the filming for the day. On his way back to the set he tripped over one of the cables and ended up in a heap on the floor, not only did he feel a right fool but he had managed to spill coffee on his favourite shirt. He didn't know what was more pink , his cheeks or his shirt, Xander had been the first on the scene, rushing to help him, he removed the blue hanky from his blazer pocked and was franticly trying to dry his friend off. There was no chance of getting a replacement shirt at this hour as the costume department had long since gone home. Luckily they managed to hide most of the stain with his jacket and some clever side ways camera shots. 

(page 2)

Richard looked down at the hanky in his hand and remembered the incident with a fond smile. He could always count on 'Xander to be his knight in shining armour. 

Chapter 2

Xander was fastening his shoe laces and about to leave his home heading for work. He shouted  
goodbye to his wife Hannah, grabbed his bag, keys and mobile and climbed into his Range Rover.  
The journey to work would take around 90 minutes depending on how heavy the traffic was on  
the M40 and in London itself. 

He considered himself luckily to live in a nice leafy suburb of Oxfordshire, Blackbird Leys was a  
pretty little town, It seemed a million miles away from the noise and pollution of the capital. The commute was a necessary evil but the long drive gave him the opportunity to think and gather his thoughts. He glanced at his mobile before starting his journey, no reply ? Was this odd? Possibly not it may just be his overactive mind, he had always been a over-thinker, a natural worrier. The cup was always half empty not half full. 

Xander pulled his car out of the drive, he was still worried it wasn't like Richard not to reply. They  
had always texted each other, numerous times a day. First it was all work based, his colleague the ever efficient dedicated man that he was. Then the texts became more friendly, silly jokes and banter and thanks to his good friend, he now knew what an Emoji was ! 

Then 3 days ago, the texts had suddenly stopped. Richard had rang work explaining he was taking  
a few days off due to having the flu. It wasn't in his nature to take time off, Xander could remember a couple of times over the last ten years when the producers had to send him home as he had come to work obviously unwell, he was a trooper, bless him. 

The slip-road to the M40 was approaching and Xander was hoping today's journey would be quick, the radio was playing some 80s classic song and he started to sing along and his worries subsided and he started focusing on the show. Even with the absence of his tv partner they had still been able  
to film certain segments for the show. He had also been helping the research teams in finding new and wonderful categories and questions, the weirder the better. The “Tits and Finches” round had been his idea and it had gone down a storm. Everyone in the studio in fits on giggles and laughter no more than himself and Richard. It took many takes before they could get something that was suitable to be aired on the BBC at 5,15pm !!

As predicted the nearer he got to the studio, the traffic was grinding to a halt. Xander sat with his thumbs twiddling on the steering wheel, his mind wandered back to his friend. “What if he was hurt? Or been involved in some freak accident? His brain was now racing with all the scenarios he could think of they may have befallen Richard. He took a deep breath and mumbled to himself “pull yourself together” he decided that when he arrived at the studio he would try to ring once more, hopefully this time it wouldn't go to voicemail!

Chapter 3

Richard stood at his living room window watching the hustle and bustle of the outside world. Everyone was going about their daily lives. Even though it was now late afternoon, the sun was shining and the temperature for this time of year was above average, so much so the streets were already filling up with the usual holiday makers who were arriving for the upcoming May bank holiday. For a fleeting second, he considered going out for a walk, the sunshine looked tempting  
but it was far too much effort, he was still in his Pjs and hadn't had a proper shower in 3 days.

There was a sudden sound that pulled him away from his thoughts, the mobile was vibrating from the arm of the sofa, he had turned his on to silent mode the week he had bought it, who has ringing phones these days ? …..walking over to the source of the sound he hesitated , maybe he should answer it? The caller display was flashing “ Xander Pointless Friend” . Richard wasn't up to speaking to anyone especially not his best friend , who would be able to see through any pretence he tried to put up. The call ended and the screen faded back in to darkness, much the same as his current mood. With a sigh he sat down and turned on the TV idly flicking through the channels not watching anything. I mean how much of a loser does one have to be before you start watching daytime TV? Especially game shows,like the one that paid his wages ….the irony wasn't lost on him. At any other time he would have laughed, but with no one else there to hear him, it just seemed Pointless!

Xander walked on to the set, to an outsider he looked like he did on any other day of filming, smartly dressed in a grey pinstripe suit, minus the tie (The BBC was lowering their standards lately he thought, but he didn't want to protest, they already considered him posh) he gave a cheerful nod  
to everyone in the studio and started to charm the audience and contestants with his natural persona and glint in his eye. But on closer inspection, one might have noticed that his brow was more furrowed with his inner anxiety about his good friend.

The day, although busy went fairly quickly and he even managed to get away a couple of hours early. This is when the thought struck him, “Why don't I just drive to see Rich?” after all it was  
only a 90 minute drive to Haywards Heath, even quicker if he set off straight away and missed the rush hour. He knew Hannah would be going out that evening to her weekly Yoga class so it wouldn't matter if he arrived home later than usual. He made a quick phone call to let her know his plans, she thought it was a little extreme but realised her husband wouldn't stop worrying until he knew their friend was safe and well.

The traffic was being kind as he travelled along the M23, with any luck he would have an head-start  
on all the traffic heading towards Brighton. He did envy the fact that Richard lived so close to the coast, it must be lovely to nip down to the beach in the summertime with a picnic, enjoying the sunshine and the vibrant throng of people who frequent the seaside town. 

Late afternoon was turning into twilight and he realised it would soon be getting dark. There was only ten miles left until he reached his destination, but he turned on his trusty Sat-Nav , better to be safe then sorry. On his last visit to Richard's he had managed to get lost in the town's one-way system and spent as much time travelling a mile as had taken him for the rest of the journey. Of-course he never let on to his friend, that would have been enough ammunition for him to be the butt of many a joke. 

The last visit to his flat had been a few months earlier, just before Christmas , his friend had invited himself and Hannah along with other friends and colleagues for a little soiree. He had met Sumudu a handful of times in the past and he had always found are amiable. When her and Richard had first announced their relationship he had been a little concerned as he felt they weren't well matched but she seemed to make his friend happy and that was all that mattered. For weeks all he heard about was, how wonderful she was, and that she was an acclaimed musician . Everything seemed to be going well for them. 

Inside his apartment the tall tv presenter was aimlessly opening and closing his kitchen cupboard doors. He didn't have an appetite and had hardly eaten in the last few days, but his stomach was protesting so he was going to have to find something edible. How did these celebrity chefs manage to make a three course meal out of a tin of tomatoes and leftovers ! His store cupboard now consisted of some pasta a tin of cannelloni beans and some anchovies, the fridge was no better , with just some wilted broccoli looking back at him from the salad drawer. It would have to be a take-away then, but he would have to face the delivery guy from Just Eat , who he had gotten to know over the last few months. Roman was his name, a bloke in his late 20s , blonde hair , medium build and always chatty, there had been times his meal had gone cold due to the length of time they had been chatting on the doorstep, Roman always wanted to know how he could get a job at the BBC, when he wasn't delivering pizzas he was a budding DJ on the local music scene. His dream was to work at one of the big radio stations, you couldn't fault him on his ambition and Richard felt sure he would make it one day and he would hear his voice on the national radio or even become a global name.

Chapter 4

Xander parked up his car under a street lamp and looked up at Richard's flat, it seemed all quiet but he could make out a sliver of light through the partly closed blinds. This part of the town was one of those up and coming areas, full of millennials brimming with optimism and ideas, fresh from university and wanting to change the world. Xander being of Generation X and a 70s child understood their desires and dreams but thought they needed a bout of realism as-well,possible a spell of National Service ! He walked up to the front door, Richard's flat was on the first floor but he had to buzz the intercom to gain entry into the main building. He pressed the buzzer and waited.

In the flat his friend was looking at the take-away leaflets after deciding to use a local takeaway delivery service in order to avoid the energetic Roman. He heard his intercom buzz and for a second he froze. He didn't have many unexpected visitors, maybe it was double-glazing again or one of the many charities who often targeted his street, The intercom rang again, he decided to just answer and tell them he was busy, and whisper “sod-off” under his breath. What he didn't expect was to hear the booming voice of his best friend at the other end. “Hey Rich, it's me ...just checking your okay?” “I haven't heard from you so was getting worried”........Richard got over his initial shock and replied “Hi Xander, no no it's okay, i'm fine really, just you know a cold, well flu, I think it's going round?” after hearing his best friend waffling like this , he knew something was definitely wrong. “ May I come in ? It's getting rather cold here on the doorstep , and I'm getting some rather funny looks from the dog walkers passing by” Reluctantly he let his friend into the building, this was going to be awkward.

PAGE 3

Opening his flat door Richard stood waiting for Xander to appear at the top of the stairs. They greeted each other with a brief hug and they both went inside. Richard went to the kitchen hoping he had enough milk to offer his friend a coffee. Xander took the opportunity to look around, he could see the general mess and untidiness but if someone was ill the last thing on their mind would be cleaning. 

Walking back in the room with two cups of coffee, Richard sat down on the long sofa next to his  
guest. “Sorry I can't offer you anything stronger” he said passing a cup to Xander. “No worries, i'm driving anyway” They spent the next few minutes discussing his journey and general chatting about work etc. Then they sat quiet, both of them wanting to avoid the huge white elephant that was sat in the room. For his part Xander didn't want to push Richard in to talking about anything that was going to make him feel uncomfortable. Although he hoped he could coax something out of him, because he clearly wasn't ill enough to be shutting himself away in his flat and stopping all outside contact. Richard could feel his best friends eyes upon him, how was he going to get out of this one? He could lie ? But his recent stint on “Would I Lie to You” had proved he wasn't very good at it.  
He was a very emotional man, wearing his heart on his sleeve. If he started to explain what had happened he knew he wouldn't get far before the tears would start. Not that he would be embarrassed about that particularly but the way he was feeling, he was going to struggle to make them stop. 

Xander decided it was time to say act, setting his cup down on the coffee table (once he had found a space) he placed his hand on Richard's shoulder “C'mon are you going to tell me what's really wrong? he was fixing his best friend with one of those stares which he had perfected over the years , it conveyed that he wanted to listen and can be trusted but also it had a bit of authority mixed in with it. He felt Richard tense slightly, Ever so slowly he started edging closer on the sofa and began rubbing the back of Rich's shoulder just to give his some reassurance. His friend looked up and and he was biting his lip, obviously thinking how to begin.

Three days earlier, Richard had been having a normal day or so he thought, he and his girlfriend had been out to the cinema to see a art house film that Sumudu had wanted to see for a while. They then went to dinner in the evening, it was then he noticed she had been quieter than usual? Having ordered their starter and main, he asked her if everything was okay, she had assured him it was but said once they got back to his flat, she wanted to talk. For the rest of the meal she barely spoke, only to answer him if he asked a question. The walk back to his flat seemed to take forever, he didn't know what was making him colder, the weather or his partner's current mood. Once inside , Sumudu stood still wearing her jacket. “look Rich, there is no easy way for me to say this, so i'm just going to come out and say it.....the relationship isn't working” he stood there open mouthed and stuttered “What ? Why ? Where has all this come from? “ she carried on “ I think you know why deep down, you need to be honest with yourself “ ….I will give you some time, but hopefully “we can still be friends” and she walked out of the flat leaving Richard stood rooted to the spot in disbelief. 

Page 4

Chapter 5

With his best friends reassuring hand on his shoulder, Richard realised he may as well just spill the beans and hope for the best. He took a deep breath and started to relay the events of the last few days, the trip to the cinema, the frosty meal and the out of the blue declaration from his now ex-girlfriend. Xander listened without interrupting, all the time stroking the top of Rich's shoulder and arm. Once he started to speak, Richard found it easier than he had thought, until he got to the actual break-up part and he felt himself going, his eyes started to prickle and he desperately tried to wipe away the tear that was forming. Has he removed his glasses, Xander bent over and took them from him and handed him one of his handkerchiefs (another one for the collection, maybe he could sell them on Ebay ?) this small act of kindness tipped him over the edge and the tears started to roll down his cheeks. Without a thought his best friend took hold of him and rested his head on his chest, whispering words of reassurance “hey, hey there, it's all going to be alright, lets get it all out and have a good cry, I'm here for you “ he squeezed Richard and they sat there for what seemed like twenty minutes, half an hour, whilst Richard got all of his pent up emotion out of his system. Xander kept tight hold of him and kept talking softly “i'm your best friend and I will always be here for you, there is no need to be embarrassed as it's just me any you, yeah” Finally the tears subsided and the sniffing stopped “thank you “ he murmured to his his friend. “It is what I'm here for” replied Xander “you know what you need now is a nice warm shower” he stroked Richard's hair out of his tear stained face and they looked at each other, in that moment something changed and the atmosphere around them seemed to be highly charged. The moment was fleeting and Xander moved to help Richard up of the sofa and guided him in to the bathroom. He set about bringing Richard a fresh set of clothes, a plain blue tee shirt and some grey joggers and he made sure there was everything in the bathroom he needed. He left Rich to get his shower and he headed for the kitchen, deciding that they both could do with something to eat. 

There was very little choice of ingredients but luckily Xander was a dab hand at cookery, he had  
quite enjoyed it in his younger days when he was travelling around the country playing music. He had a few favourite dishes he could make fairly quickly. One of these was a delicious dish which consisted of pasta, which he liked to think was a bit more sophisticated than spag bol !, he added broccoli finely cut with half a tin of anchovies, with some garlic and chilli powder . He was pleased to see his friend had at least got some herbs and spices left in his store cupboard. Whilst he was busy conjuring up the meal, his mind went back to earlier. What had Sumudu meant when she had  
said to Richard “I think you know why, you need to be honest with yourself”? It hadn't been the time to ask as his best friend was clearly distraught. 

Meanwhile in the shower Richard stood letting the water cascade down his body, the warm water felt comforting on his skin. His friend, was right, it had just been what he needed. At first he had been a little mortified that he had broke down in Xander's arms, but has he held him and let him get all his tears out , it felt right. The brief moment that they had both shared weighed on his mind, maybe his secret wouldn't be such a surprise after all. After getting dry he slipped on the clothes that had been left out for him and roughly dried his hair with the towel. His reflection in the mirror stared back at him, his hair was looking very untamed and sticking out in odd places, he quickly tried to comb it, he was too tired to be putting product in it now. 

Page 5

“Perfect timing” announced Xander, just has his friend emerged from the bathroom. “Dinner is served”. They sat at he kitchen table opposite each other, “I know it's not much, but it will at least  
fill you up for now.” Richard was more than ready for something to eat, and started tucking in. “slow down a little, you will make yourself sick” scolded Xander, “Sorry” mumbled Richard still stuffing food into his mouth, After the meal had been eaten and the pots cleared away (Xander had even washed the pots that had been in the sink earlier) they both sat back in the living room.

It was now nearly 8pm and Xander thought it would soon be time for him to be leaving, he looked across at his friend, he did seem a lot better now then he did when he first arrived. As if he was reading his mind, Richard spoke “It's getting late Xan, you will need to be making a move or Hannah will think something happened to you” nodding Xander got up, he wasn't looking forward to the journey back as he himself was feeling tired after the emotional evening. Richard stood and joined him at the doorway, “I mean, you could always stay over? “ “You could have the sofa-bed” he added quickly. “I couldn't impose, unless ? You want me to stay?” replied Xander. His best friend stood shuffling his feet and looking at the floor “I erm, well I wouldn't mind some company”  
looking up, Xander could see his friends face colouring up slightly. He walked forward and tapped his arm “ I'll ring Hannah and tell her not to wait up, she won't want me driving if I'm tired” 

Phone call made and settled back down on the sofa, the two friends were enjoying each others company and watching the TV, first choice had been a replay of the Fulham match, Richard was a life long supporter of the team. Once this had finished they decided to have a flick through the channels, exhausting the choice on both Sky and Netflix and not really settling on anything , they left the music channels playing. “I feel old watching these” announced Xander, “that's because you are “ quipped Richard with a mischievous grin, he managed to duck just in time to miss the half hearted swipe Xander had aimed for his head ….”you cheeky sod, we are the same age”  
“We might well be, but you look older than me, most people comment on it when they meet us “ Richard retorted.......Xander stared back at him ”You're playing a dangerous game, I'm warning you, less of the wise cracks or there will be consequences “ If there was anything Richard liked it was a challenge, he prided himself with his quick and witty responses and he wanted to know exactly how far he could push Xander before he snapped. They both loved a bit of banter on and off camera and it was always light-hearted fun, but tonight seemed different, there had been an edge to Xander's voice that sounded more of a dare then just an ordinary retort. Sitting back slightly on the sofa , Richard folded his arms and looked straight across at his friend, “Do you fancy a drink ? “  
“You want to go to the pub?” he replied looking very surprised at the suggestion.  
“ No, I mean I have some whisky tucked away at the back of the cupboard in here, it was left over from Christmas..”..his voice trailed off slightly, that was a memory he didn't want to bring back to soon.  
Sensing the tone, Xander rubbed his hands together “Well it would be rude not too, get the glasses out what are you waiting for “ 

Xander for his part was welcoming the thought of a couple of glasses of whisky, he would sleep well tonight even if he was on that dodgy looking sofa-bed. Little did he know his drinking partner was planning on a little game. He was now on his second glass and enjoying the feeling of warmth it was giving him as it slipped down his throat. Xander although liking a drink wasn't a big drinker, did Richard know this? Was this why he was purposefully topping up his glass?

Page 6

“ Shall we play a little game? “ Richard asked while looking deep into Xander's dark eyes, there was a slight pause and the reply came “What did you have in mind?”“ Sitting forward now with his elbows on his knees “Truth or Dare ? Richard grinned.  
How was he going to get out of this one now, he knew Richard had him in a corner, if he refused he  
would never hear the end of it, the gauntlet had been thrown down, or in this case the little blue hanky with the motif in the corner.

“Only if I get to ask first ?” he replied quickly, whilst trying to come up with a cheeky question so he could beat Richard at his own game. Richard gestured back with his hand signalling the game was on …. taking a sip from his glass Xander sat a little more upright “Which is it to be then? Truth or Dare? “

“Truth “ replied Richard

“Have you ever left a restaurant without paying?” This was a good starter question thought Xander , lull him in to a false sense of security. He was fairly sure, Rich wouldn't have left  
anywhere without paying, but it was worth asking. 

“Good question, and I would like to say yes, but you know me Xan, I wouldn't have it in me, especially a bloke my size , I could hardly duck out and not be noticed!” he laughed. What about you?

“No me neither, I would feel far to guilty, wouldn't be able to sleep at night” …..

“My turn now” smirked Richard “ Truth or Dare?” …...”Truth came the reply”

“What really happened between you and Ben ? ….I mean we all know the official reasons, following your solo careers in acting and presenting, but I would like to know the if there was  
another reason, was there a fall-out , someone's ego getting too big? Lovers tiff......” before he could add that last bit was a joke, he could see his friends shocked face, his mouth was opening and closing as if he was trying to find the right words

“Ahem, well no, I mean why do you ask, we were just a professional double act/couple sort of thing, ….good friends obviously, you do form bonds with someone you work closely with but that was it, as someone said something, what have your heard ? “ the usually articulate Mr Armstrong was struggling to form a convincing reply.

Interesting thought Richard, has he watched his best friend squirm, “I think, Thou doth protest too much?” 

“ We were/are good friends that's all, I think of him as a brother, I'm sure Ben feels the same way about me” Xander took a big gulp of his whisky , wishing privately that the ground would open up and swallow him. Why had Rich, asked ? ….of course there had been rumours over the years. every male duo, seems to get them. He thought back to their first tour, when they had been fresh faced comedians new on the scene. Money was tight and they had to use a friends old transit van to travel up and down the country. No posh hotels for them, it was the basic travel lodge or B&B. It was in a B&B when it first happened, the night he had awoke in his sleep to find Ben beside him in the bed!

Page 7

Richard was watching his friend carefully, his eyes had glazed over, but not from the whisky , his thoughts seemed to be miles away, he liked watching Xander ...many a time he just sat and stared at him, especially when they were filming Pointless. He would just sit with his pen rested against his lips whilst the main camera was on the presenter and just watch the way he swayed back and forth, engaging the contestants with his natural flare.

“Earth calling Xander ….come in ….Xander” laughed Richard.

Realising he was still in the room with Rich and he probably had some explaining to do ….”It's kind of complicated , and well, private to myself and Ben.......it's not that I don't trust you Rich, but it wouldn't be fair for me to be discussing what happened” 

“That's okay, look it's just a game right, and I was kinda joking with that last bit......”

The room went quiet, as both men sat content with their thoughts and not needing so speak for a while. Richard was the first one to break the silence …..

“Another drink? A nightcap ? “ taking his friends glass before he had time to object, he started to top them both up......”will help us both sleep I should imagine” 

It wasn't long before the effects of the alcohol were kicking in and they both couldn't help yawning.  
“Well, it's long past my bedtime I'm going to call it a night if you don't mind Rich?” 

“I'll get you the spare bedding” Richard headed off to the bedroom and returned with a big blanket and a pillow “Are you sure you will be alright on here ? I really don't mind giving up my bed for you know” 

“ I really couldn't let you do that, I will be fine ….my eyes are closing now, ill be asleep in no time at all” 

Both men said their good nights and settled down in their respective “beds” , Xander had been right within a few minutes he was fast asleep on the sofa bed , snoring softly, The same however, could not be said for his best friend. Laying on the bed, now wide awake and staring at the ceiling. Alone  
with his thoughts. He was feeling confused ,he thought back to Sumudu and the words she had used when they had split up “be true to yourself” of course he knew what she had meant, he had always known deep down. He had “loved” her but his heart was somewhere else, it had taken him a long while to realise but the person he wanted, was the one person he couldn't have, and that person just happened to be sleeping in the next room.

He sat up and rubbed his hands across his face, all that alcohol had made him dehydrated so he headed to the kitchen for a glass of water. He glanced across at his best friend, even in his sleep he looked so serene and beautiful ( yes, he would allow himself to think of Xander that way , but never speak of it) feeling brave, probably due to the amount of alcohol he had consumed he very careful sat down on the floor next to the sofa bed, watching him carefully, taking note of his features even down to how many freckles he had on his face (14 for future reference) …...suddenly, Xander moved, and Richard froze.....holding his breath, but it was a false alarm, he was only moving in his sleep . He should really return to his bedroom but he didn't want to waste the opportunity to be this close to the object of his desire and being able to let his mind run riot without the risk of those dark sultry eyes , seeing right through him.

Xander was dreaming, he was back on the road with Ben, they were in the pub celebrating a successful show, after last orders they walked back to the nearby B&B in high spirits. ...Ben had joined him in his room for “one last drink” but he was becoming increasingly tired, he had tried to  
get him to go to his own room but decided it would be easier to leave him dosing in the chair. Xander climbed into his own bed and quickly fell asleep. He awoke suddenly, feeling extremely hot , he turned over to find he had been joined during the night by Ben who was snuggled up against him. Initially, shocked he was uncertain what to do, but then he thought it felt quite nice, and warm and to be honest, was it actually doing any harm. It had been a little awkward in the morning as Ben was slightly embarrassed by his actions, they had talked and he explained how he had felt lonely and suffered from night terrors, and it just felt natural to get in the bed with his friend. Xander said he was fine with it and that was how it all started, as the tour continued it became the norm for them to both share a bed. ….

Richard was starting to get cold so he guessed it was time to move, standing up he suddenly lost balance and fell forward he panicked and grabbed hold of the nearest thing which just happened to be the sleeping Xander.

Suddenly having a full 6ft 7” man fall into your lap was not exactly what he was expecting and it had a very sobering effect. Richard was trying to extract his self from the arms of his best friend when he felt a hand reach out and pull him back........”stay” ordered Xander as he manoeuvred himself so he was laid on his side but hoovering his upper body over Rich who was now laid flat on his back, looking a little dazed and rather uncertain. His best friend put his finger against his lovely plump lips “Shussh now” …..his hand then gentle ghosted along R cheek-bone feeling the roughness of his stubble reaching up to his hairline and tenderly running his fingers through his hair. Richard's eyes fluttered closed and and his breathing became deeper. Relaxing slightly he started to enjoy the what was happening, he didn't want to open his eyes in case it was all a dream........the soft hand that was stroking his dark hair was now moving tantalisingly slowly, down his neck and on to his upper body. Arching up slightly towards it he let out a little groan, this seemed to encourage Xander he could feel his breath against his face, then a nibble against his ear lobe and light kisses were being peppered down his neck on to his chest …..his own arms were now wrapped around Xander's waist and he was practically laid on top of him, he could feel both their heart-beats. He dared to open his eyes and was met with a heart warming smile, “hey there, you ok?” Richard could only nod in response. A pair of dark twinkling eyes looked back at him Xander was definitely in control and moved closer, their lips touched …..Richard felt like a thousand fireworks had gone off at once.....at first the kiss was slow, and tender then it became more intense both men jostling with their tongues to be the one in control. Their bodies were moving up and down with Xander still on top of Richard who was now extremely aroused and could also feel the same was true of his best friend....two sets of hands went exploring each other bodies, with each moan and groan their movements were becoming faster …...a large hand had now taken hold of his manhood and Richard was finding it extremely difficult to hold on......he didn't want this to end but he knew he wouldn't be able to last much longer.....Xander sensed his arousal and moved his firm hand away for now, “not yet sweetheart” he whispered in Richard's ear. Hearing those words nearly did tip him over the edge but he managed to control himself.

Clothes were being removed as quick as they could manage , neither one of them wanting to let go of the other one for any longer than was necessary. Once both completely naked, Xander took charge and knelt on top of his lover taking hold of his manhood once more and slowly moving his hand up and down . After a few strokes Richard was making some wonderful noises that made Xander's heart melt, “let me do this for you” it was less of a question more of a demand spoken in his best air pilots voice (he knew this voice what have the desired affect on Richard) a few more strokes and Richard couldn't last any longer, he came loudly with an almighty climax, his heart beating rapidly in his chest. 

Afterwards laid in each others arms, not quiet believing what had just happened , Xander whispered in Richard's ear, “You know, I've always known how you felt …..the way you watch me, when you think I'm not looking....I know that I'm your little secret....” 

The End


End file.
